A Note From The Administrator
It has been a difficult week for our community as the trial of Christopher Schurr concluded. With a mistrial issued, we remain hopeful for healing and unity in the days ahead.
My team participated in a strategic planning session on Friday with Michigan Municipal Executives. It was a valuable opportunity to connect with colleagues from across the state, foster professional development, and learn how others are dealing with recent federal changes.
As always, please let us know if you have articles, topics, or ideas that you would like to include in future newsletters.
- Al Vanderberg
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Health Department Helps Mothers Heal Through Grief
In honor of Mother’s Day yesterday, our Health Department featured a timely program: Healing Through Grief.
This initiative supports parents navigating the loss of a child by offering compassionate resources, emotional support, and a listening ear. Healing Through Grief is part of our Children’s Special Health Care Services Program and it features our dedicated caseworkers, like Jazmine, who specialize in care related to pregnancy, infant, and child loss.
If you or someone you know could benefit from this support, please contact our team at childloss@kentcountymi.gov.
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The Power Of Adoption: Lily’s New Beginning With Help From Our Animal Shelter
Meet Lily, a 10-month-old Dutch Shepherd who’s become a shining example of what patience, love, and a forever home can do. Lily had a rough start in life - rescued from a hoarding situation along with several other dogs, she arrived at our shelter scared, anxious, and unsure of the world around her.
But Lily’s story took a beautiful turn when she was adopted by Gary Rutman, who committed himself to helping her heal and thrive. With time, consistency, and a whole lot of love, Gary has helped Lily bloom - emotionally, behaviorally, and physically. She now walks confidently on a leash, knows several commands, and is no longer the timid, anxious pup we first met. Today, Lily is happy, social, and full of life!
Lily recently came back for a visit and had a joyful reunion with her caseworker, one of our dedicated staff members at the Animal Shelter who spent lots of time with her early on.
Stories like Lily’s remind us of the incredible impact of adopting with intention and compassion. To see all of our adoptable animals, please visit here.
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Veterans Services Partners With Disability Advocates
Our Veterans Services team is proud to highlight our longstanding partnership with Disability Advocates.
Through funding from Veterans Services, Disability Advocates helps veterans - and their family members with disabilities - live more safely and independently at home. One key initiative is their Home Assessment Program, which evaluates homes for safety, accessibility, and functionality. After the assessment, the team develops a personalized action plan to address any barriers, with our funding helping to make those improvements possible.
Thanks to this partnership, we've been able to support essential home modifications such as walker steps, modular ramps, and handrails for veterans and their spouses throughout Kent County. We’re grateful for the impact this collaboration continues to make in the lives of those who have served.
New Rapid Route 1000 to Millennium Park
Starting this past weekend (May 10), The Rapid is piloting a new summer route from Rapid Central Station to Millennium Park. The Route 1000 offers new and increased service of 30-minute frequency for the Westside on Saturdays and creates new hourly service on Sunday for the Westside between the hours of 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.
The Route 1000 runs from Rapid Central Station, the main customer transfer point, at 250 Cesar E Chavez Ave SW, in downtown Grand Rapids. Or customers may board at any of the thirty-six (36) bus stops along the Westside route. The new Millennium Park bus stop is located conveniently in front of the Van Andel Beach House, which is centrally located for access to the over 1400 acres of open park space, basketball, and volleyball courts, as well as the 18 miles of trails, also conveniently connected to the Standale Trail accessible from our Laker Line route. All The Rapid’s buses have bicycle racks, making it easy to also explore the park by bike.
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The Proactive Fatherhood Program: Learning the Legal and Financial Aspects of Being a Dad
Presented by All Things Fatherhood, a local Fatherhood agency, our Friend of the Court FOC) and our Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (PAO) support the Proactive Fatherhood Program, designed for a curriculum that was piloted with students at Job Corps in Grand Rapids. This educational program is a four-week series of one-hour workshops designed to educate high school juniors, seniors, college students, and young men in general on the realities of fatherhood, the child support system, and legal responsibilities before they become parents.
The weekly topics are:
- Week 1: FOC Functions
- Week 2: PAO Functions
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Week 3: Myth vs. Reality - a gameshow style session challenging students to decipher fact from fiction about FOC, PAO, child support, and custody and parenting time.
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Week 4: Simulation - students are assigned a character and walk in the shoes of that character as they navigate a simulated real-life custody, parenting time, and child support case.
After the successful pilot, the team looks forward to bringing the program to more young men in the community.
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Master Gardeners Kick Off the Season at the Grand Ideas Garden
Located at 775 Ball Ave NE, this vibrant and educational space is designed to inspire gardeners of all levels - from curious beginners to seasoned green thumbs. With eye-catching signage and thoughtfully arranged planting displays, the garden offers practical ideas and techniques that visitors can easily replicate in their own backyards.
Whether you're looking to learn, explore, or simply enjoy the beauty of the season, the Grand Ideas Garden is the perfect place to spark your gardening creativity. Come see what’s growing!
Save the Date for Dwight Lydell Park Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Join us for a special ribbon-cutting ceremony by our Parks Department celebrating the completion of the Dwight Lydell Park redevelopment project:
- Tuesday, June 17
- 11 a.m.
- Dwight Lydell Park - 4040 Leland Ave NE, Comstock Park
Once home to mills, tanneries, and fish hatcheries, Dwight Lydell Park has been reimagined as a 39-acre natural retreat in the heart of Comstock Park - continuing its legacy as a space that brings the community together.
This is a moment to celebrate what we’ve built together - a greener, more vibrant space for families today and for generations to come. A formal invitation with program details will be forthcoming.
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Grand Rapids Water Quality Report
The City of Grand Rapids 2024 Water Quality Report is now available and can be read online at grandrapidsmi.gov/waterqualityreport.
This report shares important information about the City of Grand Rapids' drinking water and shows how the city consistently works to meet and exceed safe and quality drinking water standards. If you would like a paper copy, please call 311 Customer Service at 3-1-1 or 616-456-3000.
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Explore Rewarding Careers At Kent County Today
Working for the County, you will have the opportunity to serve the public and your community. We have employment opportunities in general government, health, public safety, judicial, recreational, and much more. To view our open positions and apply, visit kentcountymi.gov/jobs. To learn more about our employee value proposition, visit here.
Memorial Day Office Closure
All Kent County offices and clinics will be closed on Monday, May 26, in observance of Memorial Day. Regular operations will resume on Tuesday, May 27.
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